Customer Reviews

Albanian, Compact: Learn to Speak and Understand Albanian with Pimsleur Language Programs (Pimsleur Instant Conversation)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're looking for a way to pick up a few words and get started in a new language, Pimsleur can't be beat. Albanian is different enough from, say, Spanish, that it takes some work to pick up structures that come easier with Western European languages. Still, this is a good start and it's fun to have had your first conversation, however small, only an hour or so in. Though I did need to listen twice to disc 1 for my start.

Warning: if you want to be fluent in Albanian, it's going to take more than this. But if you want to make a start and feel like learning Albanian might be possible, it's a good program and at a great price (comparable sets used to be around $100 for unusual languages). Supplement with Before You Know It's Albanian (byki.com) - the introductory lists are free and will give you a little more to do with what you've learned.

The Pimsleur method delivers material that works very well with human memory. The Albanian method is no exception. I highly recommend it to everyone starting this unusual language. The method is the same whether in tapes (chepaest if you find them used), CDs, or audiofy. (I don't buy audiofy because the digital memory is copy protected, and if you lose it you have lost quite a bit of money.)
Pimsleur has only done a brief Albanian method, so this product teaches you how to count (very well) and a few basic items but does not get into noun conjugations and other important things. Hopefully they will augment it someday.

This is a great set for learning Albanian, Pimsleur never fails to let me down. The only thing I have negative about this is the written review at the end of the lessons, i wish that there would be a full written transcript of each lesson to help connect the words with the writing, and that Lesson 1 would have an intro to the alphabet and a reading of it. They do not cover conjugations of the words very well, but with listening, you pick them up yourself.

If you learn by hearing something used, than this is great, but if you want them to build up from the alphabet to full length sentences, than this isn't for you.

Personally, i feel that with this to listen to, and "Learn Albanian-Mėsoni Shqip" by Ēezar Kurti to read, you will have a great start to your Albanian learning!

This is a well thought through language course in albanian. I have tried two different, this one and magnum language course. (witch is quite crappy by the way..) How ever, it is quite short. I wish there was at least 20 leassons, so i could learn more of the language. But for starting it is good. And it is a quality product with very clear voices and a learning progress that worked fine for me! I recomend it!

This product consists of 10 lessons on five CD's. Lessons are about 25 min each. I listened to all ten and went to Albania. The product was generally helpful and the people I met were impressed that I made the attempt. Fortunately most of the people I was working with spoke English. Albanian is a more complicated than English and you are not going to be able to speak it after you listen to the CD's. The CD's will give you a good start. You will know some helpful phrases. You will know how to ask for a menu even if you can't read what is on it. You will know how to say, "I am an American" even though that will be pretty obvious. You are told how to order water, but American's are going to want bottled water and they don't tell you that. Water pa gaz "without bubbles" should have been mentioned. I had a pretty good experience with this product and I would recommend it, but my recommendation is lukewarm, if you knew someone else who used something else that they were really happy with, I would give that a try. Also the woman on the CD's was not always faithful in her pronunciation. The man was fine and people were impressed with my ability to mimic the accent. You are going to have to listen to the CD's more than once to get your mouth to speak the sounds you don't typically say. Also don't be afraid to try their food. The food in Tirana was great. They don't have McDonald's anyway.

I like the Pimsleur series and this set is good. The idea is to learn based on doing, saying and repeating the words from hearing a native speaker.

A fair product for the price... this is only for very basic conversational Albanian. It does not provide you with an actual understanding of the langauge... If only Michel Thomas would do more languages!

I am just a beginner with the Albanian Language and this was way to confusing for me. I only looked at it once and decided that this was not for me! I think that it would be fine for more advanced people, but for beginners... No. Here is a link to a language learning thing that works much better for me: [...] Hope this helps!

Jesus Bless your day!

Jesus',
Abigail